Significant pay gap still a fact of life for black women in the USSignificant pay gap still a fact of life for black women in the US

New research has revealed a striking lack of awareness around the pay gap faced by black women in the US.

A study by LeanIn.Org, SurveyMonkey and the National Urban League found that black women are paid 38% less than white men and 21% less than white women. Compared to white and Asian women as well as Latinas, black women also received less support from managers and were promoted more slowly, The Voice Online reported.

Sheryl Sandberg, chief operating officer at Facebook and founder of LeanIn.Org, said: "The pay gap facing black women is an urgent problem. It has huge financial implications for millions of families - and it signals something deeply wrong in our economy."

As a result, it was vital to “address the gender and racial inequalities that give rise to this imbalance and create workplaces where everyone's labour is valued, everyone is treated with respect, and everyone has an equal shot at success", she added.

The survey also found that, even when people know that a pay gap exists, it tends to be bigger than they realise. In fact, two out of five individuals who are aware of the pay gap that black women face underestimate its size.

While about half of white men think that black women no longer face obstacles to advancement, only 14% of black women agree. Moreover, nearly 70% of people who are not black think that racism, sexism or both are not common in their company — yet 64% of black women say they have experienced discrimination at work.

Sarah Cho, director of research at SurveyMonkey, said: "The lack of awareness about the pay gap at their own workplace, particularly among hiring managers – two-thirds of whom say there is none – is an insight we hope drives organisations to take action. Conducting a pay equity study is a powerful way to bring this topic into clear terms, but we also hope these data spark curiosity within companies to measure perceptions about inclusion, so they can build broader programmes and policies to help drive meaningful change that lasts."

Emma Woollacott is a freelance business journalist. Her work has appeared in a wide range of publications, including the Guardian, the Times, Forbes and the BBC.

New research has revealed a striking lack of awareness around the pay gap faced by black women in the US.

A study by LeanIn.Org, SurveyMonkey and the National Urban League found that black women are paid 38% less than white men and 21% less than white women. Compared to white and Asian women as well as Latinas, black women also received less support from managers and were promoted more slowly, The Voice Online reported.

Sheryl Sandberg, chief operating officer at Facebook and founder of LeanIn.Org, said: "The pay gap facing black women is an urgent problem. It has huge financial implications for millions of families - and it signals something deeply wrong in our economy."

As a result, it was vital to “address the gender and racial inequalities that give rise to this imbalance and create workplaces where everyone's labour is valued, everyone is treated with respect, and everyone has an equal shot at success", she added.

The survey also found that, even when people know that a pay gap exists, it tends to be bigger than they realise. In fact, two out of five individuals who are aware of the pay gap that black women face underestimate its size.

While about half of white men think that black women no longer face obstacles to advancement, only 14% of black women agree. Moreover, nearly 70% of people who are not black think that racism, sexism or both are not common in their company — yet 64% of black women say they have experienced discrimination at work.

Sarah Cho, director of research at SurveyMonkey, said: "The lack of awareness about the pay gap at their own workplace, particularly among hiring managers – two-thirds of whom say there is none – is an insight we hope drives organisations to take action. Conducting a pay equity study is a powerful way to bring this topic into clear terms, but we also hope these data spark curiosity within companies to measure perceptions about inclusion, so they can build broader programmes and policies to help drive meaningful change that lasts."

Emma Woollacott is a freelance business journalist. Her work has appeared in a wide range of publications, including the Guardian, the Times, Forbes and the BBC.